Page 166 of The Gods Veiling
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Creed?” she shouts as she follows behind me into her closet.
“Where’s your armor?”
“What?”
“Where is your armor, Thayla?”
She startles at the echoing of my bellow all around us, but her eyes never flinch from their glare. Good. She’ll need her grit. I take a few quick calming breaths, then step toward her.
“I don’t have time to explain it all to you right now, but there’s an emergency and we’re needed. Where’s your armor?”
“At the back,” she says low, pointing her finger.
I cross the massive space and spot the dark steel I need. She has multiple ones to choose from, but for this battle, there’s one in particular that’s made for the Abandon.
There’s reinforced matte black metal both sewn into the fabric on the inside and plates on the outside. It provides as much flexibility as what she wears in training, but there’s a small bit of a weight difference. This armor was made with the intention of taking damage from Oblirians and their weapons.
“Creed, I need—”
“A better explanation. Yeah, I know, but I can’t give it to you right now. We have to get ready to go. Put this on as fast as you can and get to the kitchen.”
I lay the armor on her bed and continue walking out of her room. I don’t stop until I pass through my door.
I allow myself a moment to center myself and calm my soul. It’s both thrumming with excitement for what’s about to happen, but also, there’s a desperate need to connect to hers.
Both sensations disgust me.
I’m disgusted with the desires my power makes me have.
Along with my armor that matches Thayla’s, as well as my brothers’, I grab my most prized weapons. Two swords I was able to infuse with my power prior to them taking it from us.
One hit and your soul no longer belongs to you.
It belongs to me.
The Chancellors and some of the gods tried their hardest to force me to give them up. There’s no revoking power from an ancient object. Which these are. They were crafted and forged by a few Beginning Gods long ago, then gifted to me.
They have to be destroyed for the power to be freed.
The first attack that broke through the barrier from the Abandon happened and they never bothered me about them again.
“Where is she?” I ask my brothers as soon as I step out of my room.
“Right here.”
Thayla exits her hallway looking like the Goddess of Death. Her rose gold hair adds just enough life to the otherwise deadly attire she has on. The stern scowl written across her face, though, promises a vicious ending to any who threaten her.
Perfect.
“Listen to me and listen closely,” I order as I march over to her and spin her around.
Her body tenses under my touch and I grit my teeth at her reaction. She doesn’t even know what I can really do.
I run my fingers along the strappings on her back to adjust them, then spin her back to face me. “This is no ordinary sword. Do not accidentally slice yourself or any of our Defenders. It’s infused with a power that will kill on contact. Instantly. One hit. Do you understand?”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child. I understand. This sword will kill as soon as I hit someone with it. Why do I need it?”
“Because you have no power and where we’re going, you need all the power you can get.” I sheath my weapon in the holder on her back and place the second one in mine.
